Miami SCORES Fall & Winter 2025: Year Two Underway!

Following an incredible inaugural year, we are excited to look back on another amazing six months of our 2025 Fall & Winter seasons as Miami SCORES kicked off its 2nd year. From amazing events to inspiring visits, this season was defined by continued growth, strong community support, and meaningful moments that brought our poet-athletes together on and off the field.

Throughout the season, this recap highlights the key moments that brought our community together, starting with the main events that defined the semester. It also captures our growing presence beyond the field through media interviews, awards and site visits, where we shared our work and connected with new audiences.

Events & Programs

Fall Programming Kicks Off

Sep. 29, 2025: Our second year kicked off in style with the beginning of our fall season. Running until December, our poet-athletes from our six MDCPS Title I school partners, Charles R. Drew K-8, Earlington Heights Elementary, Jesse J. McCrary Elementary, Kelsey L. Pharr Elementary, Liberty City Elementary, & Orchard Villa Elementary, came together for twelve weeks of afternoons full of Teamwork, Leadership and Commitment on the field and self-expression and creativity in the classroom.

Every week our poet-athletes and their families, coaches, principals, and school staff awaited for Friday game days and thanks to the wonderful help of our group of volunteers and community partners, they quickly became go-to events for the whole community.

Introducing our Miami SCORES Ambassadors

Oct. 8, 2025: Miami SCORES officially launched its Ambassador Program, marking an important step in strengthening the organization’s connection to the broader soccer and community landscape in South Florida. The program brings together a group of individuals who align with Miami SCORES’ mission of empowering youth through soccer, poetry, and service-learning. Serving as advocates and role models, ambassadors help amplify the organization’s impact by engaging with students, supporting events, and expanding community awareness.

Fall Frenzy

Oct. 24, 2025: Our Fall Frenzy Celebration of Soccer & Poetry brought an extra level of energy and excitement to the season, turning a regular game day into a full-on celebration for our poet-athletes. With poetry and soccer happening side by side, students had the opportunity to express themselves on the page while also competing and connecting on the field. A special thank you to BazookaGoal and Concacaf for adding a unique twist with their inflatable goals, which quickly became a favorite and made the experience even more special.

2025 SCORES Cup

Nov. 8, 2025: Miami SCORES hosted its annual SCORES Cup at the Leyva Family Field at the FIU Soccer Stadium, bringing together Miami’s corporate community for a day of competition in support of our poet-athletes. A total of 34 corporate teams and over 550 players took the field, united by a shared commitment to youth development and community impact. Throughout the day, participants competed in a series of matches that emphasized teamwork, collaboration, and connection beyond the workplace.

This year’s champions included:

• Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) — SCORES Cup Champions

• Concacaf — Poetry Cup Champions

• KPMG — Service Cup Champions

• Hogan Lovells — Challenge Cup Champions

• Kirkland & Ellis — Friendship Cup Champions

  
  

With the support of volunteers, partners, and participants, the SCORES Cup once again brought people together around a shared commitment to youth development.

2025 Community Poetry SLAM

Dec. 5, 2025: Miami SCORES hosted its 2025 Community Poetry Slam, an unforgettable evening filled with bold words, fearless creativity, and raw emotion. Poet-athletes took the stage and brought their stories to life, delivering powerful performances that captivated the audience and reflected the depth of their voices. The event marked a meaningful culmination of the Fall Power of Poetry season, highlighting the impact poetry can have on confidence, identity, and self-expression. Verse by verse, poet-athletes found their voice, honored their experiences, and celebrated their community, reminding everyone in the room that every voice matters.

Community Champions at W7F

Dec. 6-7, 2025: Miami SCORES was recognized as a Community Champion at World Sevens Football (W7F) tournament in Fort Lauderdale, highlighting its impact in providing free soccer and literacy programming to youth across Miami-Dade County.

A standout moment from the weekend came when poet-athlete alum Alexa took the stage to share her words in front of an audience that included former professional players. She represented her peers and the impact of the program with confidence, reflecting Miami SCORES’ mission to give our poet-athletes a voice both on and off the field.

Miami Marathon & Half-Marathon

Jan. 25, 2026: Closing off this season, Miami SCORES proudly cheered on its marathon team as runners took on the Miami Marathon and Half Marathon in support of our poet-athletes. Each mile represented a commitment not only to their personal goals, but to expanding access to free soccer and literacy programming across Miami-Dade County.

Media Appearances, Special Visits & Awards

Throughout the season, Miami SCORES showed up in some exciting ways beyond the field, from media features to moments of recognition across the network. These opportunities highlighted the program’s growing impact and connection to the soccer and local community.

DC SCORES x Fox Sports

December 10, 2025: Our friends at DC SCORES, showcased the program’s growth and impact within the national network. The feature underscored the shared mission across cities while recognizing the unique work being done in Miami to serve poet-athletes and their communities.

Miami SCORES Media Highlights

Throughout the fall and winter, Miami SCORES was featured across multiple platforms, including El Pelotazo, where the organization had the opportunity to share its mission with a broader audience. Additional moments included participation in Soccerex and engagement with the FIFA World Cup Miami Host Committee, building excitement as Miami looks ahead to hosting the 2026 World Cup.

Community Leaders visit Miami SCORES

Throughout the fall and winter season, Miami SCORES had the honor of hosting several impactful visits from community leaders who helped make this season especially memorable for our students.

On October 17, we were proud to welcome Commissioner Hardemon to our very first game day at Charles R. Drew K-8 Center, his alma mater. He spent the afternoon watching our poet-athletes shine and witness the powerful sense of teamwork, leadership and commitment that defines Miami SCORES. His visit highlighted the importance of local leaders investing in youth.

We closed out the Fall season on December 12 with an unforgettable celebration at Orchard Villa Elementary School. The day began with a warm welcome from Principal Daly Barnes and featured a powerful poetry performance by our poet-athlete from Orchard Villa. We were then honored by a distinguished group of guests, including Mayor Suarez, Commissioner Christine King, and Joann Milord of the Little Haiti Revitalization Trust. Their encouraging words and support made the day truly special, leaving our poet-athletes inspired and motivated as they look ahead to the Spring season.

MDCPS Principal for a Day Recognition

On October 22, 2025, Program Director Coach Will was selected as “Principal of the Day” at Kelsey Pharr Elementary, recognizing his leadership and community impact. The experience provided an opportunity to further connect with students, educators and the larger MDCPS community.

We're grateful for everyone who made it possible, from our poet-athletes and families to our coaches, partners, and supporters. We’re excited to keep building, growing, and creating more moments like these in the seasons ahead, especially with the World Cup 2026 coming to Miami!